Planing boat



Nov. 21, 1933. Q GQ EDDY 1,935,622

PLANING BQAT Filed Dec. l, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Geprg@ 6. Eddy NQv. 21, 1933.v G. EDDY 1,935,622

v PLANING BOAT Filed D60. l, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENroR Gearge 6'. Eddy.

Patented Nov. 2l, 1933 U is i` TES .PATE-NT FFI'CE Tliis invention relates to boats. including pontoons, and particularly toboats ofthe type having a semi or greater planing action en the tva- An object of the invention is to provide a novel' form of planing surface for a boat of the type l0 described by the use ofwhich the area of wetted surface is considerably reduced, as compared to conventional. constructions, during movement of the boat over the water.

Another object is the provision of a planing surface or surfaces for a boat of the class described by the use of which the entrance wave is prevented from contacting with those surfaces which'it is not actually reacting against to produce an upward thrust.

Another object is to provide a planing surface construction for boats and the like so constructed as to utilize whatever water effort is required, and no more.

Another object is to provide a planing surface for a boat which will so condition the water over which the boat passes as to reduce the frictional resistance to the movement of the boat .over the water.

Another object is to provide a planing surface for a boat by means of which air will be mingled with the water over which the boat is passing and thus provide an aerated layer of water for supporting the boat. l

Another object is to provide a planing surface for a boat in which the tendency to compress the water against 'the planing surface or any part contiguous thereto during this movement outwardly from'the keel is largely eliminated.

Another object is the provision cf a boat plan- 40 ing surface so constructed as to eliminate the packing of solid water against any part of the bottom surface of the boat.

Another object is to provide a boat planing surface so constructed as to convey air to those regions of the surface normally contactingpwith the water, and such that the water in having a relative lateral flow with respect to such surface will draw such air with it and will cause it to be intimately mixed therewith to provide anaerated cushion of water for supporting the. boat during movement through'the water.

Another object is to provide aA novel form of planing surface for a. hydroplane of the stepped type and so constructed as to greatly eliminate the disadvantages occurring in conventional condisplaced from the adjoining ones in an upward .of the hull.

slructicns due to the formation of a low pressure area immediately back of such step or steps.

Another object is to provide e. planing Vsurface for boats of the class described having special provision for reducing the area of water contact in do accordance with the weight and speed of the boat Without impairing the ability of the boat to make turns without undue danger of tipping over. Another object is the provision of a boat of the class described in which a series of longitudinally extending outwardly and upwardly extending stepped surfaces are provided in the bottom surface thereof. y

Another object is the provisionof a boat of the class described having a planing surface of the above described type in which the longitudinally extending steps on opposite sides of the keel extend in generally converging relationship toward the stern end of the boat.-

Another object is the provision of a boat of 'Z5' the class described having a planing surface coxnposed'of a plurality of relatively narrow planing surfaces extending longitudinally of the hull, each of the latter planing surfaces being vertically direction laterally from the keel, whereby to form a jog or step between each of said latter surfaces, and which surfaces may be conveniently l providedby suitably lapping the bottom planks The'above being among the objects of the present invention the same consists in certain features of construction and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, and then claimed, having the above and other objects in view.

I In the accompanying drawings which illustrate suitable embodiments of the present invention and'in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several different views: y 95 Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a semi-displacement or semi-planing type of boat, commonly known as a v bottom boat, in which a suitable embodiment of the presentinvention is incorporated.

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the boat shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the boat shown in Figs. 1 and vil," taken as on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the boat shown in the previous figures taken as on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

' Fig. 5 is a side elevational viewv of' a boat of 110 between the boat bottom and the water through i and aft direction. These hollows form passages which air may readily flow from the forward portion of the hull to the step or steps or to the transom, -as the case may be, and I have found that this largely eliminates the suction above referred to. The elimination of this suction drag is an important factor'in the speed of the hull and the actual effect thereof is similar to the vreleasing vof' the brakes on an automobile.

In connection with the above-described passages extending longitudinally of the boat between vthe bottom and the water at each jog or lateral step, another important result is ob' tained in connection with the present invention. y

' of the water increases so rapidly after such point (which may be referred to as the critical point or speed) is reached, and that a corresponding increase in frictional resistance is built up between the boat bottom andthe water.

I have found that if it is possible to prevent the speed density of the water from building up as fast as it commonly does in connection with conventional boat bottom designs, the `ratio ol increased speed to increased power beyond the critical point is raised considerably. I have also found that this may be accomplished if the water through and over which the boat is planing, contains a material amount of air in the form of small bubbles, so'that the boat is actually supported on a mass of aerated water. It is not essential that more than a relatively thin layer or blanket of such aerated water contact with the 7g aerated water is enhanced, I have found, if the wetted surfaces o the boat bottom to obtain the beneficial results oi such condition.

In the construction of a boat bottom in accordance with the present invention as above described, such a layer of cerat'ed water isv produced for the hull, to ride on. This layer is produced for the following reasons: When vthe boat is up to speed, that is,` eecting a planing action on the water, air is carried rearwardly along the bottom of the hull as previously described in the pockets formed at each lateral step between the bottom-ol the boat and the water. lhecause oi the displacement of the water by the boat, the water. in its relative flow towards the stern ci the boat also ilows outwardly, andiin derving outwardly picks up and carries with it part oi the air from each oi the pockets referred to. The water, in @owing over each lateral step or log, hw a more-or-less turbulent action and in picking up air irons the pockets causes thesir to be inttely ed with the boundary layerl oi? water contacting with the hull, and consequently io a layer of aerated water for the boat to ride on. ln iact, such asrated layer oi water is plainly cernible by looking over the edge of a boat built in accordance with the present invention, when the boat is'at speed on the water.

The production oi the above described layer of longitudinal iogs or lateral steps in the planleast is a verynat v. The boat shown in Rigs. 1

3 ing surfaces of the boat, taper inwardly towards the keel of the boat in the direction oi' the bow towards the stern, or in other words, the corresponding jogs on opposite sides of the keel converge towards the stern. This convergence of the jogs or steps, however, has an additional function in the actionof the hull on the water that will be more fully described. It may be noted here, however, that the amount of air which is picked up and mingled with the water to produce the aerated layer above described, does not seem to affect the Ause of the lateral steps or jogs in carrying a sufiicient amount of air to the longitudinal step of a stepped type of hydroplane, to eliminate any suction which might otherwise be apparent back of such longitudinal step as previously discussed.

In connection with these lateral steps or longitudinal jogs in the planing surfaces of the boat hull I have further foundit very important that corresponding steps or jogs on opposite sides of the keel converge gradually towards each other in the direction of the stern of the boat in order to obtain satisfactory steering qualities in the boat.

Where the longitudinal steps or logs run longitudinally of the boat in parallelism with the keel, upon attempting to-turn the boat I have found that such resistant pressures are brought to bear on the vertical surfaces of the steps or breaks as to endanger capslzing oi the boat at higher speed, as such steps or jo then function on that side of the boat on the outside of the turn in more-or-less the manner of a centerboard, against which solid water tends to build up, and act to resist such turning effort. However, where such steps or logs converge inwardly toward the keel from the bow tothe stern, the water in passing over such steps or logs always ows outwardly over the same relative to the heel and thereby eliminates any heeblike edect as above described which might otherwise be apparent. This inwardly and rearwar convergence oi the steps or inates any resistance to the turning o the boat as well as enhances the formation of the aerated layer oi water previously assed.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to Figs. l to d inclusive, it will be no that `I have shown in these gures a boat ci the semidisplacement or semi-planing type, devoid of any transverse steps, the particular type o' t shown being what is commonly miown as a v bottom boat. ln the usual construction of this type oi boat the bottom surfaces 'of the bow sec- 180 tion are usually arranged in V-formation and generally hatten out as they approach the stern section which is usually' approximately hat or at to d inclusive is of this general 't in that its 135 lower surfaces in the bow. sections are arranged in generally il relation and the f :t sections are approximately atalthough, as will hereinafter be morespecically pointed out, the lower surface oi the stern sections in accordance with the present invention are never absolutely hat nor are they ever oi a concave formation. The boat shown includes sides 10, deck 11, stern or transom l2 and a bottom indicated generally as at i3. As indicated in Figs. 3 and 4 the boat is prefer- 145 ably provided with a keel 14 or equivalent strucn ture and ribs or frame members l5 and 18 of a suitable nature.

Each side of the bottom i3 on opposite sides of the keel 14 is identical to the other side ex- 15 4 incassa cept reversed in position and both sides are symmetrically arranged with respect to the keel and to a vertical plane passing through the keel longitudinally thereof. Each half of the bottom surface 13 on opposite sides of the keel 14 is formed of a plurality of smaller planing surfaces 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22, each of which is located in elevated relation with respect to the previous one in the order in which they extend from the keel 14 to the bilge 25. Each of the surfaces 18 to 22 inclusive extends longitudinally of the boatover the full length of the corresponding increment of bottom width thereof and each of these surfaces is separated from its adjacent surface by an upward step or jog 26 of a length commensurate with the corresponding surface.

In the drawings, in accordance with my preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be noted that the longitudinal steps or iogs 26 on opposite sides of the keel 1d tend to converge towards each other in the direction of the stern 12.

It is yto be noted that the surfaces 18 to 22 inclusive are spaced vertically from each other by a material amount and which amount may, in actual practice, be equal to the thickness of the bottom planks 28 to 32 inclusive which correspond to such surfaces, and the utilization of which thereby offers a simple and ready means for effecting the desired result. lt is also to be noted that the plane of each of the surfaces 18 to 21 inclusive in the stern sections, if extended outwardly from the keel le would never intersect the plane of the next adjacent surface outwardly of the keel therefrom within the lateral confines of the hull.` In other words, while the surface of each individual planing surface may, in some portions of the bottom, be substantially horizontal, and in other portions incline upwardly and outwardly away from the keel, they never incline outwardly and downwardly relative to the keel. I

From the operation of the above described boat and referring particularly to Fig. 2, let it be assumed that the .boat at speed will rst contact with the water at the keel at a point such as A. The contact of the boat with the water at this point will cause what is commonly known as a bow wave to be produced and this bow wave will have a relative how along lines such as B and C rearwardly, outwardly and upwardly with respect to the bottom of the boat. In conventional constructions this bow wave, which necessarily spreads as it travels rearwardly, outwardly and upwardly, will wet the bottom of the boat for the full width of the wave and for the full distance from the keel to the outer edge of the bilge, even when suoli edge is well above the ,corresponding level of the surface of the water.

The reason this occurs in conventional constructions is that the bottom of the boat i's flat and' the adhesion of the water to the bottom of the boat carries the water on up the bottom until it is finally freed at the outer edge of the bilge.

Now in accordance with the present invention when incorporated in a boat of the type shown in Figs. 1Y to 4 inclusive, when the boat attains its,

speed the bow section will tend to lift and to have a planing action on the water. Accordingly, due 'to the fact that in this construction the bottom of the boat at the outer edges of the bilge is relatively higher than the bottom at the keel, there will be certain portions of the bottom where the outer edges of the bilge are above the normal surface of the water over which the boat is passing. In such a case there will be a reaction between the bottom of the boat and the water ih as is illustrated on the lefthand side of Referring to Fig. 3 it will be noted that due to the outward movement of the water relative to the bottom of the boat, and particularly when the boat is at speed, the water in passing outwardly over the outer edge of the surface 18 not strike the surface i9 until it reaches a point thereon materially spaced from the longitudinal step 26 separating these two surfaces, and consequently` will form a pocket such as 40 between the water on the one hand and the surface 19 and the step 26 separating it from the surface i3, on the other hand. The size of the pocket in will, of course, depend not only upon the vertical ensionsof the step 26 but also the speed of the boat.

This water having a relative outward flow with.

respect to the bottom of the boat will then ,flow outwardly over the surface 19 until it reaches the step 26 separating the surface 19 from the surface 20, at which point the water will break away from the surface 19 and will contact with the surface 20 at a point thereon spaced from the step 26 between the surfaces 19 and 20 thus forming another pocket 40.

This action will continue as the water hows outwardly relative to the keel until the water reaches the outer edge of the bottom, as may always occur in many cases at the stern of the boat, or, until the water reaches such point or area of the bottom which, at the particular moment, is located above the normal surface of the water upon which the boat is riding. ln Fig. 3 as a matter of illustration of this last point, it is considered that the surfaces 2i and 22 are located above the level of the surface of the surrounding water in which case the water, after it leaves the surface 20, because of the fact that it is no longer under the direct displacing enact of the boat, will flow directly outwardly without contacting with the surfaces 2l and 22 and consequently will not wet such surfaces or burden them with its lili@ lli@ lill@ drag. Consequently, in the condition assed in '.11'.

Fig. 3, the only wetted area'of the bottom of the boat in the section which this figure represents will include only the surfaces 18, 19 and 20, and

the wetted area of the bottom of the boat will consequently be materially reduced over the corresponding wetted area of boats having bottoms of conventional construction.

It may be here noted that although, as previously mentioned, the water'in flowing outwardly over the bottom will usually contact with all of the surfaces 18 to 22 in the extreme stern section, and particularly so in a boat of the type shown in the gures under discussion, it is entirely possible that in certain types of hydroplanes the width of wetted area of the boat bottom may be materially reduced, at least in theory, throughout the entire length of the boat.

It will, of course, be understood that the bow wave is not the only water contacting with the bottom of the boat that has a relative now outwardly away from the keel, but that all of the water which contacts with the bottom of the boat has such outward movement because of the displacement characteristics of the boat. Consequently, the pocket 40 previously referred to formed between adjacent surfaces of the boat bottom and the various longitudirai steps 26 will continue to be formed throughout the entire length of water contact area of the boat bottom. The maintenance of such pockets 40 is materially The construction illustrated entirely overcomes aided in the particular construction illustrated due to the fact that the corresponding steps 26 on opposite sides of the keel 14 converge toward each other in the direction of the stern 12, thus exaggerating the eilect of the outward flow of the water over the same.

An important result oi the constructionprovided bythe present invention is that the pockets 40, which are open to the atmosphere at least in the bow section, are constantly filled with air, and the water in iiowing outwardly relative to the keel 14 picks up air from these pockets in theform of small bubbles which are intimately mixed with a boundary layer of water which contacts with the boat bottom. Due to the tact that this boundary layer passes over successivesteps 26 in flowing outwardly away from the keel, larger and larger amounts oi' air'are picked up by the water v until a' maximum amount of air is carried -therevby at the time it reaches the outer edges oi.' the bilge of the boat. At the same time it will/be apparent that the boundary layer of water which 'ows under the stern.12 of the boat will have a certain amount of outward movement and will also contain a material amount ci -air mixed therewith.

The result of this mixture oi air with the boundary layer of water is that the boat substantially rides upon an aerated layer' of water which oiiers very little resistance to the passage of the boat over it. It is my theory that this presence of an aerated layer. of water ior the boat to ride on is one of the reasons that boats built in accordance with the present invention are capable o1' attaining agreater increase in speed with a corresponding increase in engine power than'boats built in accordance with conventional constructions.

Referring now to the second reason for converging the corresponding steps 2e on opposite sides of the heel towards the stern, it is well known that boats of the planing or se-pling type have a tendency to, and actually do ss'd when making a turn, toward the outside of the turn. lli a boat is provided with a bottom having longitudinal steps, for instance as the construction. shown, the botst in 11mm.; cmd nt the se time skidding, will tend to pile up solid water' adjacent the steps presented outwardly thereto during the t. Consequently, ii these longitudinal steps are parallel to the heel the solid water in builg upagst such steps will oier so much resistance to the siridding motion as to endanger tipping over of the boat. l have. found dit however, that when these steps converge toward the stern as described, the forward component of the movement of the boat is ciently great as to .we at all times the water owing over vthe steps in a direction from the heel outwardly. and consequently-this action eectively prevents :the

formation oi a solid wall oi water against those steps facing outwardly on the t and this edectively voor@ dger oi tipp over oi the at '.1 .fit a turn except in extreme and unal conditions.

hermoreinf constructions where the iongisteps are' such as to pt the if up -v of solid water against the longitudinal stepsduring a I have found that the steps act to a greater or lesser extent in tho movement of t boat whatsoever, and the boats dangerous in a but exa-eme aiment tc make a tum with.

t oi a centerboard, and thus resist ,any

these diiliculties.

drawings, it .will be noted that in these iiguresv a full planing type oi' boat is illustrated ofthe single step type, that is a boat having a single transverse step. The boat shown includes sides 50, stern 51,' deck 52'and a bottom including two major planing surfaces indicated generally as at 53 and 54 separated from each other by a transverse step 55. Each of the bottom sections 53 and 54 closely follow the general construction -ol the stern sections of the boat described in connection with Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive. In other words, the bow section 53 is formed of a series oiplanks 56 to 59 inclusive symmetrically ar`- ranged on opposite sdes of the keel te and arranged with their adjacent edgesin overlapping relation, each of the planks being positioned at a extending in the general direction of the lengthA of a boat a distance commensurate with the cor-l responding planks. The various corresponding planks 56 to 59 inclusive on opposite sides of the corresponding longitudinal step 65 on opposite sides of the keel 6e, in extending rearwardly, converge toward each other in the same manner for the same purpose as the corresponding steps 26 converge in the drection of thelstern of the boat previously discussed in connection with Figs. l to 4 inclusive.-

Similarly the bottom section. 54 is made up of a plurality o1 planks 70 to 73 inclusive vsym-- metrically arranged on opposite sides of the keel 64 to present corresponding hor'zontal vertically displaced planing surfaces "I5 to '78 inclusive each of which is vertically displaced upwardly with respoot to the next adjacent surface inwardly towards the keel therefrom'so as to present a vertical jog or step '19 therebetween extendingin the general direction of the length of the boat and corresponding of which on opposite 'sides of the keel 6e converge towards each other in the direction of the stern 51.

In general the bottom ci this boat in passing -over the water edects the e result as in the each step and the planing surface next adjacent thereto outwardly irom the heel. Likewise the water in ilowing relatively outward with ret to the keel over each oi? the various longitudinal steps picks up air therefrom which is ed with a boundary layer of water to provide an aero blanket of water for the boat to ride on. lizarf-4 ticularly in ths type oi `boat the outer a.,

suriaces'e and 'le for instance at higher.v

speeds, be entirely clear ci water when the in a substantially straight line.

y this type oi boat as previously mentioned,

the reaction of the boat onvthe water when at speed tends to create a low pressure area 'u i" ediately to the rear of the step 65, and this low pressure area-tends to draw the water up into contact f with the bottom rear section 54 at avpoint much closer to the step 65 than would otherwise be the case. the result oi' such tendency, when unchecked,

to increase the wetted area oi the boat bottom `and correspondingly decrease its speed.

Where the bottom of the boat is constructed in accordance with the present invention the pockets such as 80 formed between the bottom and the wag ter along each longitudinal step or jog in the forward section 53 of the boat bottom carries sumcient air rearwardly along the boat bottom to the area back of the transverse step 65 to largely eliminate the low pressure area at this point, and this action consequently eliminates the detrimental effects which such low pressure area would otherwise have.

It will of course be obvious that in the construction shown in Figs. 45 to 8 inclusive the same beneficial results of converging the various longitudinal steps or jogs in the direction of the stern result the same as in the construction first described.

Although I have shown but two specific examples of the present invention in connection with the drawings, it will be lapparent that the teachings herein will be sufficient to permit one skilled in the art to adapt the inventive thought to like devices of different types of construction, and accordingly it is to be understood that formal changes may be made in the specific embodiments of the invention described without departing from the spirit or substance of the broad invention, the scope of which is commensurate with the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A boat of the planingor semi-planing type having substantially all of that portion of the bottom thereof adapted for continuous water contact when at speed comprised of a multiplicity of longitudinally extending transversely separate planing surfaces extending continuously forwardly and upwardly towards the bow of said boat from a vertically directed surface thereof, each of said planing surfaces having a complementary planing surface on the opposite side of the keel of the boat, each of said planing surfaces being substantially fiat in transverse section and being located at a greater elevation, with respect to said keel, than the next adjacent planing surface on that side thereof towards said keel by a distance not greater than twenty-five percent of the width of said surface, and substantially all of said planing surfaces extending rearwardly in generally converging relationship with respect to said keel.

2. A boat of the planing or semi-planing type having substantially all of that portion of the bottom thereof adapted for continuous water Vcontact when at speed comprised of a plurality of longitudinally extending distinct planing surfaces positioned on each side of the keel of the boat, said surfaces being vertically upwardly offsetY from each other from said keel toward the sides of said boat and being separated from each other by relatively sharp jogs, said jogs and said surfaces terminating sharply at their rear end in at least one upwardly extending surface of said boat and said jogs on opposite sides of said keel extending rearwardly of said boat in converging relationship.

3. A boat of the planing or semi-planing type having substantially the entire bottom surface thereof comprised of a plurality of longitudinally extending planing surfaces arranged in comple- 70 mentary relation on opposite sides of the keel of said boat, each of said planing surfaces being located at a greater elevation with respect to said keel than the next adjacent planing surface toward said keel, each -of said surfaces being nesaeaa substantially fiat in transverse section, each of said planing surfaces terminating sharply at that margin thereof more remote from said keel in a surface approximately perpendicular thereto, all of said planing surfaces terminating at their rearward ends in at least one vertically directed surface of said boat, and said perpendicular surfaces extending rearwardly of said boat in converging relationship with respect to said keel.

li. A boat of the planing type having substantially the entire bottom area thereof adapted for continuous water contact when at speed formed of a plurality of longitudinally distinct planing areas generally inclined upwardly toward the bow of the boat, each of said areas comprised of a plurality of longitudinally extending planing surfaces arranged in complementary relation on opposite sides of the keel of said boat, each of said planing surfaces being located at a greater elevation with respect to said keel than the next adjacent planing surface toward said keel, each of said surfaces being substantially fiat in transverse section, the included angle between the plane of the bottom surface of any such section and a plane extending vertically upwardly from and including said keel being or less, all of said planing surfaces terminating at their rearward ends in at least one vertically directed surface of said boat, and the laterally outer edges of said planing surfaces extending rearwardly of said boat in generally converging relationship with respect to the keel.

5. A boat of the planing type having substantially all of that portion of the bottom area thereof adapted for continuous water contact when at speed formed of a plurality of longitudinally distinct planing areas generally inclined upwardly toward the bow of the boat, each of said areas comprised of a multiplicity of longitudinally extending transversely separate planing surfaces extending continuously forwardly and upwardly towards the bow of said boat from a vertically directed surface thereof, each of said planing surfaces having a complementary planing surface on the opposite side of the keel of the boat, each of said planing surfaces being substantially dat in transverse section and being located at a greater elevation, with respect to said keel, than the next adjacent planing surface on that side thereof towards said keel by a distance not greater than twenty-five per cent of the width of said surface, and said planing surfaces being closer to the keel of said boat at the stern end thereof than at a section taken transversely of said boat forwardly of said stern end.

6. A boat of the planing type having substantially all of that portion ofthe bottom area thereof adapted for continuous water contact when at speed formed of a plurality of longitudinally distinct planing areas generally inclined upwardly toward the bow of the boat, each of said areas comprised of a plurality of longitudinally extend- A GEORGE G. EDDY. 

